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News Article

Afghan Citizens Lead Coalition Troops to Explosive Devices

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2005  Afghan citizens led coalition troops to two improvised explosive devices recently, one that was found alongside a road as Afghan National Army and coalition forces were returning from a medical humanitarian mission Feb. 26.

During that mission, some 800 Afghan men, women and children received treatment, medications and supplies during a two-day visit. Afghan medical students conducted most of the diagnoses and treatment with the help of coalition medical personnel.

The visit was a joint effort between the Afghan government and coalition forces.

Military officials said Afghan elders from the Oruzgan district in central Afghanistan reported the improvised explosive device, which was later defused.

In a separate incident, an Afghan elder led coalition forces to the site of a second IED in the Herat province Feb. 28.

Military officials said two children discovered the IED while they were playing. The children told their father, who then notified coalition forces.

In other developments Feb. 28, coalition forces discovered five weapons caches at various locations throughout the country.

The first cache, discovered in Zabul province, contained five AK-47 rifles, 10 AK-47 magazines filled with ammunition, two 82 mm mortar rounds, one rocket- propelled-grenade launcher, three RPG rounds, and two fragmentary grenades.

A second cache in Parwan province, which military official believed to be in an old Soviet weapons depot, contained 500 107 mm rockets, 2,000 RPG rounds, five unserviceable tanks, and 5,000 122 mm tank rounds.

In the Hilmand province, the discovery of a third weapons cache turned up 200 30 mm rounds, three 30 mm barrels, and one RPG launcher.